The Forgotton Warrior: Memory
by DaringDani123
Summary: 1st in the series. WindClan goes back to the days when they were exiled from the forest, and a forgotton warrior, who's story was never fully told, brings back painful memories. Rating subject to change.
1. The Story Begins

i do not own the Warriors cats, or any recognizable elements from the books, all of which belong to Erin Hunter. i do however own this plot and any oc's i create. i do not own Thrushwing, but the way i write her is my own. i also do not own Sunpaw, i only created her character a bit more, though i do not know if Sunpaw is in fact a she-cat or a tom. i made due with what i had.

_

* * *

_

The sun was hanging just above the horizon, turning the sky pink, purple, and gold in the evening light. A cool and gentle breeze stirred over the moor that WindClan called home, wafting over the grasses and down to the lake. The evening patrols had all returned, and many cats were headed for their nests to sleep.

However, a small group of cats sat in front of the gorse bush that covered the tunnel leading to the elders den. WindClan's four apprentices sat with the two elders in the fading light, either sitting or lying down, ears pricked and eyes gleaming with anticipation. A tabby tom, graying around the muzzle, noticed the little gathering and padded over to them.

"You apprentices wouldn't be keeping the elders awake, would you?"

The young cats jumped, startled by the senior warrior's appearance, while the two elders purred with amusement at their reactions.

"Tornear, don't you have anything better to do than scaring the young ones?" Webfoot asked, a gleam in his eyes.

Morningflower drew one of the youngest, Thistlepaw, close to her with her tail. "They weren't keeping us up; we promised them a story."

"Yeah," Sedgepaw spoke up, his tail twitching excitedly. "They said they would tell us about the forest!" He ignored the looks his sisters gave him.

Tornear ignored the apprentice and sat down with a yawn. "A story of the forest, eh? Which one?"

"We wanna hear the one about -"

"Actually, Sedgepaw," Webfoot shot the outspoken tom a look. "We had a story in mind already. Isn't that right, Morningflower?" He looked to his companion.

Morningflower, however, was watching the older tom. "Is something the matter, Tornear?" She stood and went to sit beside him, pressing her muzzle into his shoulder for a moment.

The tabby sighed, his gaze flickering to the apprentices. "Nah," he finally answered. "But I agree with these apprentices. Let's hear a story, Morningflower. You're the best story teller in this whole clan, so go ahead."

"Well, fine. Go ahead, Morningflower," Webfoot settled down with a humph, laying his head on his paws as he waited for the old tortoiseshell to begin.

"Well, little ones," she began, laying down herself and crossing her paws infront of her, her eyes alight as she began her story. "This story takes place many, many moons ago, back before your mothers were born, back before Blackstar, Leopardstar, Onestar, or Firestar were leaders. Back then, WindClan was in it's prime; we had plenty of cats, our territory was full of prey, and Tallstar led us with old Deadfoot as his deputy." She looked around, a bittersweet look in her eyes. "We were all young back then. Young and strong. Webfoot here, why, he was barely an apprentice! And Tornear, he was one of the strongest and bravest warriors in the clan." She paused. "And, if I remember right, I was expecting my first litter of kittens."

Tornear rested his head on her shoulders, laying down beside her and listening to her as she continued. "Onestar - of course, back then he was called Onewhisker - had been the youngest warrior, that is, until Tallstar gave two apprentices, a brother and sister, their warrior names. That's where our story begins.

"It was a dark night - the moon was only a claw in the sky, and dark clouds were everywhere. It was a dark night to be holding a vigil. But, tradition is tradition, and these two young warriors were no exception."

"Do you remember their names?" Sunpaw, a young tortoisheshell she-cat, asked quietly.

Morningflower looked to Webfoot, and the old tom shrugged his shoulders. "The tom's name was Stoneclaw, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Tornear meowed. "It was Stoneclaw and his sister, but I can't remember her name."

"She was named after a bird, I remember that much," Morningflower mewed, thinking back as far as she could.

"Robin?" Webfoot tried to remember as well. "Jay? Raven?"

"Thrush." The cats looked up to see their leader, Onestar, standing there, his eyes shining in the final rays of sunlight. "Her name was Thrushwing."

"That's right," Webfoot nodded to his leader. "Thank you, Onestar."

The brown tabby tom went to sit beside Webfoot, his gaze on Morningflower. "Any reason why you want to tell the apprentices this story?"

"Her story, you mean," Tornear remarked.

"Her story?" Swallowpaw, Sedgepaw and Thistlepaw's sister, asked, looking from Onestar to Morningflower.

The old queen rested her head on her paws, but didn't flinch away from her leaders gaze. "It's time they heard it, Onestar."

"Besides, it does us old mouse-brains good to remember sometimes," Webfoot purred.

"Who're you calling an old mouse-brain?" Tornear asked, lifting his head to look at the other tom.

"Some memories are better left in the past, Morningflower," Onestar blinked, his eyes hard.

"Are you saying that we cannot tell these young cats their clan's history?" Morningflower demanded. "Life is never just rabbits and sunshine, Onestar, whether we like it or not."

"This is one of WindClan's darkest hours," Onestar meowed. "Why should it live on in stories?"

"It tells of Tallstar's leadership, Onestar. About how he kept us alive, even when we didn't want to be," Tornear looked at his leader, sitting up tall. "How Tallstar saved WindClan from disappearing all together."

"How Tallstar saved us?" Onestar retorted. "The way I remember, it was two ThunderClanners that brought WindClan back to the forest, not Tallstar."

"Which goes to show that Firestar has been nothing but our friend, even if we wish he weren't," Morningflower argued, her eyes blazing. "And the way _I_ remember it, Firestar helped to save my kit! The way _I _see it, he helped Tallstar guide us through those StarClan-forsaken thunderpaths and back to the moors! The way _I_ remember it, _you_ were his friend!" Before Onestar could reply, she continued. "And the way I see it, that needs to be remembered."

"But... Aren't ThunderClan our enemy?" Thistlepaw asked innocently, looking to Webfoot. "Why would they help us?"

"Because the forest wasn't complete without four clans," Tornear answered instead. "And the lake wouldn't be complete without the four clans, either."

"We may be enemies," Webfoot continued. "But we need each other to survive." He looked to Onestar. "Whether we like it or not."

"Fine," Onestar growled. "Tell the story. Tell how WindClan was driven away from our home back all those moons ago. Tell how so many lost their lives in that bloody battle." His tail curled around his paws. "But I will stay and listen."

Morningflower dipped her head. "Very well."

"Wait, WindClan was driven away from the forest?" Swallowpaw asked, her eyes wide. "That could never happen!"

"But it did," Webfoot sighed before nodding to Morningflower. "Now, let's let Morningflower continue on, shall we?"

Once everyone was comfortable again, including Onestar, Morningflower started again. "As I was saying; it was the darkest of nights, the moon was barely even claw-size, and it was hidden by thick, black clouds. The two newly-named warriors, Thrushwing and Stoneclaw, were holding their vigil..."

* * *

i know, i know, ANOTHER new story... sorry guys XD can't help myself. this is sort of like a prequel for a series i'm working on for warriors, i've already got the first three stories planned. this was inspired by the short story from Secrets of the Clans, which i borrowed from the library, about how WindClan were driven from their home by ShadowClan. it takes place after Long Shadows, but the 'story' itself takes place after the short story, on up to when Firestar finds WindClan and brings them home. i'll try to get chapters up for all of my stories sometime this week, but no promises. sorry if i got some cats OOC, i was kind of in a rush when i wrote this. thanks for reading, and please review.


	2. Leaving Home

Thrushwing sat, tall and proud, at the camp entrance. Finally, after what felt like _ages _of training, she and her brother had become warriors! And what better clan to serve than WindClan? Under the skies, directly beneath silverpelt, closest to their ancestors in StarClan, out on the open moors. She couldn't think of anything better.

She thought back to earlier, at sunset, when Tallstar had held their naming ceremony, when she had promised to protect her clan. That's what she wanted to do, more than anything; to prove how loyal she was, to show her clanmates that she was a warrior, through and through. At first she had been worried; what if Tallstar named her something stupid, like Thrushnose, or Thrushfoot? But when she sat there, beside her brother, Stonepaw, her worries had been swept away. And when the clan had shouted their names, Thrushwing and Stoneclaw, she couldn't have been more proud of herself and her brother.

Now they were holding their vigil, as every other warrior had done before. Guarding the camp, prepared to raise the alarm if anything was amiss. She looked over at her brother, and was struck by how much he looked like their mother. She had been dappled gray, and Stoneclaw was almost as dark as the shadows. She herself was a tortoiseshell; she didn't look a thing like her mother. She wished she did. The night they had been named apprentices, a fox somehow found the camp and carried their mother, Dovesong, off into the night.

But she knew that Dovesong was looking down and smiling from silverpelt, even though she couldn't see her ancestors that night. Her brother met her eyes, and she knew he was thinking the same thing.

The moon was no more than a claw slice in the sky, with dark, shadowy clouds flitting over it. There was no breeze, not even the rustle of prey in the grass. Her ears pricked towards a noise, and she focused on it, turning her back on her brother. Suddenly, she heard something collapse. She turned quickly and saw Stoneclaw, laying on the ground, blood pooling from a slice on his throat.

"Atta-" She tried to warn the clan, but a massive enemy warrior attacked her, pinning her to the ground and knocking the breath out of her. She squirmed, but being breathless she was too weak to escape, and she felt the cat's teeth close around her neck.

Suddenly, she heard the yowls and battle cries of the clan, and the sounds of fighting cats. The cat that had attacked her was suddenly gone, and she jumped up to resume fighting, only to stumble. She must had twisted her paw, or landed wrong when the other cat pinned her. She looked back over at her brother, lying lifeless, and she found that she didn't care. She attacked the nearest ShadowClan warrior, slicing at his chest with her claws, until finally catching his neck. She continued fighting, until she felt the presence of one of her clan beside her.

"Thrushwing, we have to get out," it was Onewhisker.

"No!" She coughed, her voice hoarse. "My brother -"

"You're brother is with StarClan now," he mewed. "Tallstar has ordered that WindClan is to leave, and that means you."

"But I -"

"Would your brother want you to get yourself killed trying to avenge him? Would your mother?" Onewhisker persisted. "Now come on!" He moved to help support her, but she shoved him away, intent on walking by herself. But when she stumbled on her bad leg, Onewhisker was there to help her keep going, letting her lean on him as they made it through the bushes and out with the rest of the clan.

Suddenly, Tallstar appeared, and began leading the clan in silence, away from the only place they'd ever called home. Onewhisker stayed at her side, helping her to keep up. They could still hear the victorious yowls of ShadowClan as they left their territory. They were at the edge of forest just before the thunderpath when Tallstar finally called a halt.

"Where will we go?" Morningflower mewed quietly, pressing herself close to Ashfoot for comfort. The gray queen licked the top of the young she-cat's head, curling her tail around her own kit, Eaglekit.

"Yes, Tallstar, _please _tell us where we will go, now that we've been driven out of our own territory!" Mudclaw spat, his unsheathed claws digging into the ground.

Thrushwing collapsed, laying down to rest. Her leg was aching, and the wound on her neck had began to bleed again. Onewhisker crouched beside her and began licking the bite, trying to clean it. She was exhausted.

Tallstar looked around at the scared, angry faces around him. He tried to think of some encouraging words to give them, but could think of none. His gaze finally landed on Ashfoot, who was staring at him, anger and fear mixing in her eyes. Determination filled him; he would find a place for her son, as well as Morningflower's kits, to grow up healthy and strong, with plenty of prey and room to run. Somewhere safe.

"We'll need a place to spend the night," Barkface mewed, padding up beside him. "That way I can start treating the injuries from the battle."

"Of course," Tallstar nodded. "Deadfoot, take a small patrol and find shelter," he turned back to his medicine cat. "Will you be able to find the herbs you'll need to help the wounded?"

Barkface hesitated before he answered. "I do not know. We are at the very edge of the territory, Tallstar. Not many herbs grow here, and I don't have time to go to the other clans and ask for help."

"Barkface," the two toms turned to see Onewhisker. "Thrushwing's neck wound's started bleeding again, and I can't stop it."

The brown tom nodded quickly, looking around. Spying what he needed, he quickly took the cobweb, however small it was, and followed Onewhisker to where the tortoiseshell lay.

"Tallstar," the leader looked up to see Deadfoot returning with Tornear. "High Stones is just over the thunderpath. Couldn't we rest there?"

Tallstar nodded. "Yes. Perhaps our warrior ancestors will speak with us, tell us the reason they let this happen." He padded over to where Barkface was. The medicine cat was pressing the cobweb to the wound, while Onewhisker was nowhere to be seen. "Barkface," he mewed quietly. "I'm taking the clan on ahead to High Stones."

"We'll be along shortly, after Onewhisker returns with more cobwebs," Barkface nodded, his eyes never leaving the she-cat at his paws.

"I'm fine," she caughed defiantly, trying to sit up.

"No you're not," Barkface pushed her back down. "Now hold still, or I'll stuff this cobweb in your mouth."

Tallstar purred and bent over the young warrior, touching his nose to her cheek. "You fought bravely," he mewed, then, with a nod to Barkface, he went back to the rest of the clan, ready to lead them over the thunderpath. Once he got there, he devised a plan of action. "Deadfoot, Tornear, and Mudclaw, you will each take a portion of the clan across the thunderpath, and I will take the remainder. Divide up, take about five cats across, then wait for me in the hedges there. Is that clear?" They nodded and set about dividing the clan.

"Tallstar," Ashfoot padded over, her kit stumbling along behind her. "We'll cross with you."

He dipped his head in acceptance, then looked down at her kit, who was now huddled between her front paws, looking up at him. "He seems to be doing alright."

The gray queen dipped her head. "Once we were away from the fighting he settled down quite a bit," she bent down to lick between her kit's ears.

Tallstar nodded, then padded closer to the thunderpath. He pricked his ears, listening for any sign of monsters on the road. There were none. He flicked his tail at the first group, Deadfoot's, and they hurried across. He turned to the second group, led by Tornear, Morningflower at his side, and just as he was about to signal them across, a monster sounded it's loud, painful yowl and sped past.

Blinking away the dust and grit the monster had kicked up, Tallstar cleared his ears. Once it was clear that no more monsters were coming, he signaled the second, then the third group across. The remaining cats, Ashfoot and Eaglekit, two elders, and an apprentice, looked to Tallstar, waiting for him to lead them across. He nodded his head at them, and they gathered around him, crouched down and ready to go. He listened once more for monsters, and when he heard only silence, he flicked his tail and they quickly ran across, the hard, smelly black rock beneath them scrubbing at their pads.

Finally across, Tallstar gathered his clan back together. He looked to his deputy. "Deadfoot, go back across and make sure Barkface, Onewhisker, and Thrushwing make it across safely," once the deputy had taken off, he turned back to the rest of the clan. "Once we get to High Stones we can rest, and hunt." And with that, the black-and-white tom led the clan to the sacred place where their ancestors spoke.

----

"What's _High Stones_?" Sedgepaw asked.

"It was the Moonpool of the forest," Morningflower answered. "It was the place where leaders received their nine lives, where medicine cats spoke with StarClan, and the place that all apprentices had to journey to before they could become warriors."

"Well, how come we don't do that here? Why don't we have to go to Moonpool before we become warriors?" Thistlepaw asked, looking from one cat to the next.

For once, it seemed like there was no answer to be given. Her question had stumped even Onestar, his tail lashing left and right as he tried to think of a reason.

"Let's just get back to the story, shall we?" Tornear mewed quietly, resting his head against Morningflower's shoulder.

"Yeah, us elders need our beauty sleep, after all," Webfoot purred.

Before Morningflower could resume, Sunpaw looked at her leader, her eyes bright and shining. "Onestar? Is all of this true?"

He hesitated, but nodded his head. "Every word," his mewed quietly.

"What's going on?" Everyone jumped this time, turning to find Ashfoot, the new deputy, standing over them. She purred, settling in on Morningflower's other side, close to Swallowpaw. "Well, isn't anyone going to answer?"

"Morningflower is telling a story," Swallowpaw answered obediently.

"The story about how ShadowClan drove WindClan out of the forest," Sedgepaw went on. "We just got to the part where Tallstar is leading them to High Stones."

The gray queen's eyes darkened, but she stayed. "I haven't remembered that for the longest time," she mewed.

"Well, if cats would stop interrupting, we could get on with it," Tornear muttered.

Morningflower purred. "Alright, then. And with that, Tallstar padded forward, careful to make sure his clan was with him..."

* * *

long. very long. longest chapter i've ever written to date, 1935 words. go me. so... reviews, anyone? please? also, i added Thrushwing's perspective to the battle with ShadowClan - if you want to read the version the Erin's wrote, check out Secrets Of The Clans. i just didn't feel comfortable with copying it, so i changed it to fit the story. peace.


	3. Highstones

"We're here!" A young apprentice broke the silence as Highstones came into view.

"Hush," Mudclaw hissed, glaring at the cowering youngster. "Would you have ShadowClan hear us and come battle us again?"

"Mudclaw, enough," Tallstar gave the warrior a glare, and the tom backed away from the apprentice. He moved at the head of the clan, flicking his tail to signal the cats as he led them to the caves and the safety they brought with them. Scanning the horizon with all the senses he could, he searched for any sign of ShadowClan as his clan paused. The black-and-white tom padded over to where Tornear was standing beside Morningflower. "Tornear, take Mudclaw and go hunt for the clan - but keep a look out for Brokenstar." As the warrior nodded and went off to find Mudclaw, he began herding the clan inside the caves.

"I don't like this," Morningflower mewed anxiously. "Won't StarClan be angry that we've come here?"

Another she-cat, a tortoiseshell named Sunpelt, pressed close to the worried queen. "StarClan would understand, I'm sure," she mewed.

Tallstar heard a scoff, and turned to see Ashfoot wrapped around her sleeping kit, looking up at the two other she-cats. "StarClan allowed this to happen," she kept her voice down, so as not to wake her son. "Why should any of us care if they're ang-"

"Enough, Ashfoot," many heads turned to see Barkface entering the caves, Thrushwing being supported by himself and Onewhisker, while Deadfoot came up behind. "If we do not have faith in our ancestors, what _do_ we have?" As the gray queen bowed her head and gave her kit a few gentle licks, he and Onewhisker helped the injured warrior to lie down. Her neck was wrapped in a few cobwebs, and she held her injured leg close.

"Barkface is right," Tallstar meowed loud enough for the clan to hear. "Yes, we were driven from our home, but surely StarClan has a reason for it. Yes, we lost many of our friends, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, but now they hunt with StarClan in Silverpelt." He paused. "Barkface and I will speak with our warrior ancestors tonight and see what they wish to share with us." He looked to the medicine cat, who nodded. "Deadfoot, organize watches to keep an eye out for any more ShadowClan warriors, or Tornear and Mudclaw. When they return, get together a small hunting patrol to hunt again." At his deputy's nod, he turned to Barkface. "We will go now."

"Very well," Barkface turned to Onewhisker. "Stay with Thrushwing, you know what to do if her wound begins bleeding again?"

The young tom nodded, but it was the she-cat who spoke, her voice hoarse. "I'm not a helpless kit that needs to be watched, Barkface."

"You will do what your medicine cat says, young warrior," Tallstar meowed sternly, and she bowed her head, though he could tell she did not agree. And with that, the black-and-white leader strode off down the tunnel, Barkface close beside him.

----

"What did StarClan say to Tallstar?" Sedgepaw's eyes were wide.

"What did the Moonstone look like?" Swallowpaw asked.

"Why -"

"That's quite enough," Webfoot gave a raspy laugh. "How can she get on with the story if you lot keep interrupting?

"Sorry, Morningflower."

Morningflower purred, but continued telling her story. "Now, I can't tell you what Barkface and Tallstar did after they left, aside from speak with StarClan, because none of us were there. And besides, the matters of medicine cats and leaders are none of our business. But I can tell you about what happened while they were gone." She looked to Onestar, who was curled up comfortably now, his eyes distant. "Unless Onestar has any objections?" He quickly shook his head, and she continued. "Now, after after Tallstar and Barkface went deep into Mothermouth to go to the Moonstone, Deadfoot quickly set about on the patrols..."

----

"Okay, Sunpelt, you'll take first watch. Larkfang, you and Shortear will be the next hunting patrol when Mudclaw and Tornear return. Ashfoot, you'll take the next watch at moonhigh, and then once Larkfang and Shortear return, Daisytail and Beechwind will go out after them," the black deputy was meowing as the cats began to settle down. Sunpelt gave Morningflower a lick on the ear before going to the mouth of the cave to keep watch.

Many cats were curling up, resting as much as they could while they were safe. Onewhisker had laid down beside Thrushwing, though she had protested.

"You can go find a more comfortable place in the cave, I'm fine," she mewed, her voice hard.

"This is the most comfortable place," he replied without even opening his eyes. "Besides, Barkface told me to wat-"

"I don't _need_ watching!" She snapped, making him open his eyes and look at her. She had her back turned. "I just... I want to be alone."

Onewhisker sat up and scooted closer to her, careful to avoid brushing her neck or her bad leg, and touched his tail-tip to her shoulder. "Your brother -"

She flinched away, turning to glare at him. "My brother _died_ because I didn't notice the ShadowClan cats until it was too late." She looked away, growling. "I swear I'll kill the cat that killed him. Send him straight to the Dark Forest, I will."

"Steady," Onewhisker warned. "You're brother doesn't need to be avenged, Thrushwing."

"Oh he doesn't, does he?" She spat at him. "He was killed the night he became a warrior. I won't rest until that... that piece of flea-bitten fox-dung is crow-food."

Before he could reply, a startled mew came from Sunpelt at the mouth of the cave. "Here come Tornear and Mudclaw!"

"Can you see if they have much fresh-kill?" Ashfoot mewed, leaving her kit curled up beside Morningflower to stand beside the tortoiseshell.

"If not, Larkfang and I will go and bring more," Shortear, a brown-and-white tom, meowed as he and his brother, Larkfang, began heading towards the entrance, ready to go out and hunt for their clan.

The two toms entered, Tornear carrying two rabbits, and Mudclaw carrying a rabbit and two mice. Deadfoot immediately padded over to them. "Any trouble?"

"Hardly," Tornear set the fresh-kill down to talk. "Just a ShadowClan apprentice, and he didn't even scent us."

"Pathetic," Mudclaw had set his prey with Tornear's. "Absolutely pathetic - you wouldn't catch WindClan apprentices missing enemy cats."

"Good," the deputy nodded. "Queens and elders, share the fresh-kill," he turned to the brothers, Larkfang and Shortear. "You two, head out. And even if ShadowClan apprentices are careless, their warriors aren't, so be careful." They nodded and quickly ran out of the cave. He nodded to Ashfoot. "Go take something for yourself and Morningflower." The gray queen nodded, taking one of the rabbits for them to share.

"Are you hungry?" Onewhisker asked quietly.

Thrushwing glared at him. "You heard Deadfoot; queens and elders. I'm not an elder, and I most certainly am not a queen." She laid down, carefully letting her injured leg lie still, hissing quietly when she curled around it. "Now just... Just let me sleep."

"Fine," Onewhisker mewed, but he got no reply. He listened as her breathing became even in sleep, and settled back down beside her, resting his head on his paws, ready to rest for as long as he was able.

* * *

i just want to say thank you to my first three reviewers: Swiftpaw of WindClan, Blazefang17, and Becca. hope this chapter was worth the wait. i'll try and update next week, if i'm able.


	4. Acceptance

The sun had not yet risen when Onewhisker felt a prod at his side. His eyes open, blurry, as he looked into the face of Barkface. The brown tom nudged a piece of fresh-kill towards him. "Eat. You'll need your strength." The tabby looked over at the she-cat beside him, and saw that she was asleep - a few scraps of fur and bones to show that she had woken long enough to eat a mouse. He nodded to the medicine cat and began eating the mouse that Barkface had brought him.

"Did she sleep the whole time?" Barkface wondered, going over to sniff at the she-cat. "Morningflower told me she'd taken her a mouse when she had woken up, but she didn't speak."

Onewhisker shrugged, licking his muzzle to clear of the remainder of his meal. "It was just after Tornear and Mudclaw returned that she went to sleep. She was... very angry, to say the least."

To his surprise, the medicine cat nodded understandingly. "She has lost much recently. She has a right to feel that way." Before Onewhisker could reply, Deadfoot padded over, his limp a little more pronounced. Before the deputy could get a word in, Barkface immediately turned to him. "You're foot is troubling you. I'll fetch you some herbs to help."

"I'm fine, Barkface. You know it just plays up every now and then," the black tom mewed, turning to look at Thrushwing. "Best wake her up. Tallstar's said we're to be leaving before sunrise."

"Where will we go?" Onestar pricked his ears when he heard Morningflower questioning Ashfoot, who was looking down at her sleeping kit between her paws. Since the gray queen was clearly not going to answer, Tornear padded up and rested his muzzle comfortingly against the tortoiseshell's shoulder.

"Where ever we go, I'll protect you," he promised quietly, and Onewhisker averted his eyes. He knew he was probably not meant to have heard that, so he pretended as if he hadn't.

A quiet yowl came from the back of the cave, and each cat turned to look at their leader, who was standing on a small pile of fallen rock. His black-and-white pelt was blotted with shadow, but Tallstar's voice rang out, clear and strong. "Cats of WindClan, we have been driven from our home, but we are not defeated. We will not simply die off, as Brokenstar wishes. We will survive and find a place to make us strong again, so that we can soon return to retake our territory. It will not be tomorrow, or even next moon, but I know we will return to the forest."

He looked around at his clan, his amber eyes glowing defiantly, as if he expected them to challenge him. "We will go to a field, on the far side of the Twoleg's nest not far from here. It is wide, and abundant with prey. We will leave as soon as every cat is ready to travel." And with that, he padded off and left the cats to make ready for their journey, going over to Barkface, Deadfoot, Onewhisker, and the sleeping Thrushwing. "Is she well enough to travel?"

Barkface dipped his head. "I believe so. She's rested, eaten, and her wound hasn't reopened. I'm not sure how fast she'll be able to go, with her injured leg, but I'm sure she'll keep up."

"I can help her," Onewhisker mewed quickly, blinking at Tallstar. "I've kept up with her so far, I can do it until we reach our new home."

"That is a very honorable offer, Onewhisker," Tallstar mewed, proud of this young warrior for wanting to help his injured clanmate along. "Well, best get her up and moving." And with that, the black-and-white leader, along with his deputy and medicine cat, walked away, leaving Onewhisker to his task.

"I don't need it," the tabby turned to see Thrushwing glaring at him, defiance in her blue eyes.

He wasn't confused as to what she went, but decided to ask anyway. "Need what?"

"You're help, furball," she spat. "I can take care of myself."

"I don't think so -" Onewhisker stared back at her, but she didn't let him finish, standing up and testing her weight on her three legs, while keeping her injured foreleg close to her chest.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "See? Perfectly fine." She began hopping towards the entrance, but Onewhisker followed her.

"Look, I'm not exactly thrilled about this either -"

"Then why are you here?" She interrupted, turning to glare at him. "I don't like you. Plain and simple. I can walk, I can talk, and I can _breath_ on my own. I don't need you." She continued to hop towards where the clan was gathering at the mouth of the cave.

"Well, Tallstar and Barkface obviously think different," Onewhisker felt his fur bristle as he followed her.

The she-cat stopped, her eyes hard. "Well, then, they think wrong. I'm not a weak elder, you know."

"I know you're not," Onewhisker sighed. "But if you tried to make it on your own you'd just re-injure yourself, if not make it worse, or permenant. The clan needs you healed as soon as possible, and the only way for that to happen is if you just accept my help."

Thrushwing glared at her paws in silence for a moment, and Tallstar's yowl signaled them to leave. She looked up at Onewhisker, and though he could still see relunctance, he could tell what he had said had sunken in. "Fine," she mewed quietly as the cats brushed past them. "But don't expect me to be happy about it."

Onewhisker blinked, but purred quietly, offering his shoulder for her to lean on. "Of course not."

----

"What happened next?" Sedgepaw asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Well, WindClan went to the twoleg field, of course," Morningflower purred.

Sunpaw's eyes were narrowed thoughtfully. "Tallstar sounds like an awesome leader. I mean, we've heard many stories about him, but... in this one he sounds even better."

Webfoot bowed his head. "Tallstar _was_ a great leader."

"One of the best these clans have seen," Tornear purred strongly.

"But Onestar's a great leader too," Swallowpaw mewed, looking to her leader.

Onestar purred quietly, but his eyes were distant as he answered. "I'm glad you think so, Swallowpaw, but I'm sure I'll never live up to Tallstar's legacy."

"You sound awesome in this story too, even though you weren't Onestar then," Thistlepaw meowed. "You were very nice to help Thrushwing, even though she didn't like you."

Morningflower _mrrowled_ with laughter. "Didn't like him? That's an understatement, young cat."

"Get on with the story," Webfoot meowed gruffly. "And tell them about the day after we arrived at the field."

"Oh, great StarClan," Onestar closed his eyes. "_Please_ don't."

"Was that an order?" Morningflower's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"It's an important part of the story, Onestar. She can't skip it." Tornear's voice was teasing, and his shoulders were shaking slightly from silent laughter.

Ashfoot, who had been sitting silent for a while, sighed. "Oh, come now, you three. It isn't right, the way you're teasing and laughing at our leader." She gave them a glare, but they could tell she wasn't serious.

"_Please _tell us, Morningflower!" Sunpaw cried.

"Yes, _please_!" Sedgepaw, Thistlepaw, and Swallowpaw all struck up.

"Alright, alright, settle down," the old tortoiseshell purred. "Well, we'd made it to the field without incident by a little before sunset. It was getting dark, and we had just found a suitable place to sleep for the night. All the elders had already settled in, along with Ashfoot and her kit and myself, and Tallstar was just getting ready to send out a few patrols to find food and make sure we were safe..."

* * *

sorry guys for the wait, and the length of the chapter. but... don't expect the next to be up any faster. unfortunately, i'm having to give up a lot of my time, which means even less time for fanfiction. so, i'll be leaving for an unknown amount of time. there's a longer explanation on my profile. i'll try to write, i promise, but don't expect anything. sorry, guys. bye for now.


End file.
